Academics & Education

Uphold religious symbol ban to spare children from being influenced by hijab, Quebec parents plead Court case against Quebec's Bill 21 hears from supporters of the law for the first time

(CBC) Several parents pleaded with a Quebec Superior Court judge on Monday to uphold the province’s religious symbols ban in order to shield their children from being exposed to the hijab, which they believe conveys a “pernicious” sexist message. The parents, all […]

Academics & Education

Hijab a symbol of empowerment, not oppression, plaintiffs argue at trial of Quebec secularism law Sociologist testifies that most Muslim women aren't forced to wear the headscarf

(CBC) Plaintiffs challenging Quebec’s ban on religious symbols sought to dismantle, on Tuesday, one of the main arguments made by supporters of the law — that the hijab is a symbol of female oppression and undermines gender equality. The Laicity Act, which was passed […]

Academics & Education

Quebec’s religious symbols ban dashed dreams and sparked hate, witnesses testify on 1st day of Bill 21 trial Groups argue secularism law unfairly bars Muslim women from public sector jobs, such as teaching and law

(CBC) A test of the constitutionality of Quebec’s secularism law began Monday amid tearful testimony from Muslim and Sikh teachers who said the law derailed their careers and made them targets of bigotry. The law, which was passed last year despite protests from civil […]

Academics & Education

Malta imam says religious vilification should be illegal, in France murder reaction Imam Mohammed El Sadi claimed the publication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad played into the hands of Muslim extremists and extreme right groups

(Malta Today) The imam of the Paola mosque, Mohammed El Sadi, has once again called for the criminalisation of blasphemy and the mocking of faiths, in a reaction to the fanatical murder of a French teacher who displayed the notorious Charlie Hebdo […]

Academics & Education

Thames Valley School Board to begin collecting race-based data Teachers are invited to participate in training to combat [Islamophobia] in schools

(CBC) The Thames Valley District School Board will conduct a student survey this school year, focused on identifying the ethnicities of its families. “We don’t actually have that data just yet in our board,” said board assistant principal Doriana Rosati. “I mean the entire province […]

Academics & Education

French MP warns of generalized suspicion of Muslims Lawmaker urges unity in fight against terrorism, says terrorists aim to divide society, provoke anti-Muslim sentiments

(Anadolu) French lawmaker Adrien Quatennens has warned against a climate of generalized suspicion toward the country’s Muslims after the murder of teacher Samuel Paty by an extremist last Friday in the suburbs of Paris. Quatennens, an LFI Party member of the parliament […]